System and process for managing dental burs

ABSTRACT

A system and method for managing dental burs includes a carrier that is customized to hold a selection of burs that a particular dentist prefers for a given procedure. Accordingly, each dentist will have a separately identifiable carrier for such procedures as amalgam and composite fillings, veneer, crown and bridge preparation, post and core procedures, endodontics, emergency treatments and other procedures, such as those that are attendant to removable prosthodontics. In addition, the carrier includes indicators for advising the dentist as to how many times each bur in the carrier has been used. By tracking use on a bur by bur basis, premature disposal of used burs as well as the incidence of bur changes in the midst of procedures will be minimized while helping to prevent the negative consequences of overusing burs (i.e. intra-oral separation, excessive heat generation). The system also includes a used bur sterilization container, which mates with the carrier but can be separated from the carrier and placed in an autoclave for sterilization. This permits burs from the carrier to be kept separate from other burs during the sterilization process, which simplifies sorting and restocking, as well as permitting tracking of individual bur use. The system ensures hands-free sterilization, which further helps to prevent accidental exposure to the contaminated burs by the dental staff. This system also enables efficient inventory control of all burs purchased by the a practice by sorting them into easy to access restock and replace containers in each dental operatory.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to dentistry, and in particular to the useand management of both disposable and reusable dental burs, which arethe rotary drill-like elements that are used by dentists to cut, grindand shape teeth and restorative materials.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Technology

[0004] Modem dental practices in the United States and other countriesmust be equipped to perform a number of different procedures, such asthe necessary preparations for amalgam and composite fillings, veneer,crown and bridge preparation, post and core procedures, endodontics,emergency treatments and procedures that are attendant to removableprosthodontics.

[0005] Dental burs, which are defined herein to include burs, files suchas those that are in endodontic work, polishing wheels, and the like areavailable in hundreds of different shapes, sizes, and grits. Forexample, burs can be flat, rounded or pointed at the ends, and can beshaped as cones, inverted cones, double inverted cones, flames, pears,wheels, cylinders or any of many other shapes. Endodontic files, whichare also defined as burs for purposes of this document, tend to be longand thin, which is ideal for cleaning and preparing the root canalchamber during endodontic procedures.

[0006] Every dentist has his or her preferences as to which particularburs to use for a given procedure. Accordingly, prior to performing aprocedure, the dentist or dental assistant must ensure that each burthat the dentist prefers for use in the procedure is sterile and readilyavailable. In addition, preparation must be made for other proceduresthat may become necessary during treatment, and spare burs of each typemust be available in the event that the dentist deems a bur to be tooworn for continued use.

[0007] After a procedure is completed, the used burs are collected forsterilization in an autoclave, where they may be mixed with burs fromother procedures that were performed on the same or other patients, andwith burs that were used by other dentists. The sterilized burs are thenmanually separated, sorted and returned to the appropriate dentist orroom for reuse. This can be a very time consuming task.

[0008] Each bur has a limited useful lifespan, the extent of whichdepends on the amount of use it is given, the nature and intensity ofthe use, and the number of times that it has been cycled through theautoclave. Typically, a dentist will have little or no indication that abur is at the end of its useful life until the bur fails to perform toexpectations during a procedure. To avoid an annoying and inefficienthiatus in the midst of a critical procedure, it is not unusual for adentist to intentionally avoid a used bur in favor of a new bur, andsometimes discard the used bur prematurely. Similarly, in an attempt toperform a dental procedure, a dentist may be forced to change bursseveral times as he or she searches for a productive bur. Every time thedentist changes the bur, she or he loses time, loses focus, becomesfrustrated and increases the chance of accidentally sticking his orherself with a contaminated bur.

[0009] Burs represent a significant expense to dental practices, andsuch inefficient management of used burs increases this expenseunnecessarily. Unfortunately, however, it has been difficult to addressthis problem because there is no effective way to track the number oftimes each bur has been used in a procedure and/or cycled through theautoclave.

[0010] A need exists for a system and process for managing dental bursthat permits more efficient use of staff time in a dental practice, thatmakes it possible to keep track of the amount of use to which individualburs have been subjected, and that provides a systematic and easy methodto learn the process of storing, using, sterilizing, stocking andreordering dental burs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a systemand process for managing dental burs that permits more efficient use ofstaff time in a dental practice and that makes it possible to keep trackof the amount of use to which individual burs have been subjected so asto make it possible to fully utilize each bur to its full potential.Accordingly, the invention helps prevent the negative consequences ofoverusing burs (i.e. intra-oral separation, excessive heat generation,etc.). The invention also provides a systematic and easy method to learnthe process of storing, using, sterilizing, stocking and reorderingdental burs.

[0012] In order to achieve the above and other objects of the invention,a method of managing dental burs according to a first aspect of theinvention includes steps of: (a) using a dental bur; (b) storing theused dental bur; and (c) providing an indication to a dentalprofessional that is specific to the stored used dental bur that isindicative of the extent to which the stored dental bur has been used.

[0013] A method of managing dental burs according to a second aspect ofthe invention includes steps of: (a) providing a dental bur carrier thathas been configured according to the preferences of a particular dentalprofessional; (b) removing a dental bur from the dental bur carrier; (c)using the dental bur; (d) returning the used bur to the carrier; and (e)providing an indication on the carrier that is specific to the useddental bur that is indicative of the extent to which the used dental burhas been used.

[0014] According to a third aspect of the invention, a method ofcustomizing a set of dental burs in accommodation with the preferencesof an individual dental professional, includes steps of: (a) recordinginformation on the dental professional's preferences for a particularprocedure; (b) sending the information to a configuring facility; and(c) configuring a dental bur carrier that is in conformance with therecorded preferences.

[0015] According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a system forstoring a plurality of dental burs includes a carrier having a pluralityof sockets defined therein, each of said sockets being constructed andarranged to receive one end of a dental bur; and an indicator forproviding an indication to a dental professional that is specific to theextent to which at least one dental bur that is positioned in at leastone of the sockets has been used.

[0016] A system for managing dental burs in accommodation to thepreferences of individual dental professional(s) includes, according toa fifth aspect of the invention, a carrier having a plurality of socketsdefined therein, each of said sockets being constructed and arranged toreceive one end of a dental bur; a template on the carrier to aid in theproper identification of individual burs and proper placement of theburs in the respective sockets; and indicia on the carrier that isindicative of specific dental professional(s) and procedure(s) for whichthe system is configured.

[0017] These and various other advantages and features of novelty thatcharacterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in theclaims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a betterunderstanding of the invention, its advantages, and the objects obtainedby its use, reference should be made to the drawings which form afurther part hereof, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, inwhich there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bur management system that isconstructed according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

[0019]FIG. 2 is a plan view of one surface of the system that is shownin FIG. 1;

[0020]FIG. 3 is a plan view of another surface of the system that isshown in FIG. 1;

[0021]FIG. 4 is a table that depicts a color coding arrangement that isin accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention;

[0022]FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a pair of college pliers that areconstructed according to the preferred embodiment of the invention;

[0023]FIG. 6 is a top plan view of another component of the system thatis shown in FIG. 1;

[0024] FIGS. 7(a) through 7(c) depict worksheets that may be used inaccordance with the preferred method of practicing the invention; and

[0025]FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram depicting a system that isconstructed according to a second embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

[0026] Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numeralsdesignate corresponding structure throughout the views, and referring inparticular to FIG. 1, a bur management system 10 that is constructedaccording to a preferred embodiment of the invention includes a carrier12, a used bur container 14, and a releasable connector 16 that isprovided for releasably securing the carrier 12 to the used burcontainer 14. As may be seen in FIG. 1, carrier 12 includes a body 18and a lid 20, which is hinged with respect to the body 18 by means of ahinge 22. Similarly, the used bur container 14 has a body 24, a lid 26and a hinge 28 for connecting the body 24 to the lid 26. The used burcontainer 14 may also have a clip or recess for receiving a pair ofcollege pliers 25, which are illustrated in FIG. 5, for sterilizationalong with used burs that may be placed within the container 14.

[0027] As may be further seen in FIG. 1, indicia 30 is provided on thesurface of the carrier 12, and preferably on the top surface of the lid20, which is the surface that is most easily visible by the dentist orother dental professional. Similarly, the used bur container 14 hasindicia 32 provided thereon on a top surface of lid 26. Both the carrier12 and the used bur container 14 preferably have the same indiciaprinted thereon, which in the illustrated embodiment is a red flag 34that has the numeral 1 printed thereon. The significance of this codingwill be explained in greater detail below.

[0028]FIG. 2 depicts an inside surface 36 of the lid 20 of the carrier12, which is provided with a template 38 to aid in the properidentification of individual burs and proper placement of the burswithin the carrier 12. As may be seen in FIG. 2, the template 38includes a profiled image of a number of different burs, each of whichis positioned within a different cell 37 of the template 38. Thetemplate 38 is preferably a preprinted card that is insertable into theinside top lid 36 of the carrier 12, and that is protected against waterdamage and that may be wiped down periodically for cleaning.

[0029] Looking now to FIG. 3, it will be seen that the top surface 40 ofthe body 18 of carrier 12, which is visible when the lid 20 is opened,includes a corresponding number of cells 44, each of which includes apair of sockets 42 that are constructed and arranged to receive one endof a dental bur. The sockets may be of diameters that are selected tomatch the assigned burs, or may be oversized in diameter with a magneticcentering system that keeps each bur centered in a socket, as isprovided on certain commercially available bur block units.Specifically, each cell 44 is provided with a socket 46 that isdesignated for the storage of used burs, as well as a socket 48 that isdesignated for storage of new burs. Each cell 44 is also preferablyprovided with an indicator 50 for providing an indication to a dentalprofessional that is specific to the extent to which at least one dentalbur that is positioned in at least one of the sockets 46 has been used.In the illustrated embodiment, the indicator 50 is constructed as amanually adjustable numeric read out that is controlled by a thumb wheel52 that is located within the corresponding cell 44. The thumb wheel 52must have a manual override (i.e. push once to add one number to therecorded number of uses, hold for three seconds to reset uses to zero).This will allow the dentist to add uses to a bur that he or she feelsworked “harder” during a particular procedure than normal. For example,a bur that is used for twenty seconds to remove a large amalgam fillingwill be more worn than a similar bur which was used for twenty secondsto cut a cavity preparation in natural tooth structure. Therefore, thedentist may want to ascribe two or three uses to the first bur whileonly attributing one use to the bur in the second example.

[0030] It will be apparent that while comparing the new or sterilizedused burs with the template 38 that is shown in FIG. 2, a dentaltechnician or assistant will be able to quickly and efficiently sortburs and position those burs in the appropriate cells 44 and sockets 46,48 in the body 18 of the carrier 12.

[0031]FIG. 5 depicts a pair 25 of college pliers, which are customizedaccording to the preferences of the dentist according to a specificprocedure, and include indicia 27 thereon that is removably positionedwithin a holder 29. The indicia 27 of the college pliers 25 willcorrespond and match the indicia 30 of carrier 12 and the indicia 32 ofthe used bur block 14. The college pliers will be stored by somemechanism on either carrier 12 or the used bur block 14 so that theywill be accessible to the dentist and the assistant. The dentist willremove the college pliers from its holder which may contaminate thehandle of the college pliers but not the tip of the college pliers. Thedentist will then use the sterilized tip to select a bur from thecarrier 12 and return the college pliers to its holder withoutcontaminating the other sterile burs contained in carrier 12 or thesterilized tip of the college pliers. At the completion of a dentalprocedure, the college pliers will be sterilized along with thecontaminated burs located in the used bur block 14 so as to sterilizethe contaminated college pliers handle, burs, and used bur block. Whenthe used burs, the used bur block and the corresponding college pliershave completed the sterilization process they will be returned to thecorresponding carrier 12 and the assistant will return the used burs totheir correct socket 46 using the sterile college pliers while wearingclean gloves.

[0032] According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the outercase 54 (or a portion thereof, such as the lid 20) of the carrier 12 andlikewise that of the used bur container 14 as well as the indicia 27 onthe college pliers 25 is preferably color coded to indicate the type ofprocedure for which the selection of burs that are contained within thecarrier 12 are selected and customized. As is illustrated in the tablethat is shown in FIG. 4, a carrier 12 that is intended for use in anamalgam procedure is given a gray color coding, while a carrier for acomposite procedure is given a tooth tone coloring. A carrier 12 for acrown or bridge procedure is color-coded yellow, while a carrier for aveneer procedure is color-coded green. Carriers 12 that are customizedfor endodontic access procedures are given a pink color coding, while acarrier 12 that is customized for a build up procedure is color-codedblue. Likewise, a carrier may be provided for removable prosthodonticsthat is color coded, for example, red, while others may be provided forendodontics, and emergency procedures that are color coded, again forexample, purple and white, respectively. The specific colors selectedfor the respective procedures are arbitrary, and this aspect of theinvention should not be considered so limited.

[0033] As is illustrated in FIG. 6, another aspect of the invention isthe provision within the bur management system 10 of a masterre-stocking and inventory controlling container 56 that includes anumber of compartments, and further includes a stocking template on thetop surface thereof to indicate a particular dentist's preferencesinsofar as bur selection is concerned for a number of different commonlyperformed procedures.

[0034] Essentially this container will include a base that will containcompartments which will separate and store the new burs as they arepackaged from the manufacturer in an orderly manner starting from thelowest number bur (i.e. ¼ round) to the highest number bur,(i.e.897K-016). This numerical ordering will allow for easy location andretrieval of the new burs. The lid will display a customized re-stockingtemplate of all the burs used by the dentist and which procedure set upsshould include which burs.

[0035] In order to create and fill the master container 56, the dentistwill first complete the worksheets described below with reference toFIGS. 7(a), 7(b), and 7(c), for every procedure (FIG. 4) the dentistperforms in the dental practice. For each procedure, the dentist willlist which burs he or she uses and in which order he or she mostcommonly uses them from the start to the finish. Once these worksheetsare completed, the bur selections will be configured by this inventionto produce all the necessary components including the restockingtemplate for the master container 56, the templates 38 for eachprocedure, and the corresponding indicia 30, 32, and 27 so that all thecomponents match. The master template 56 will reflect the required burinventory for the dentist. The dentist will now order the correct numberof burs from the bur manufacturer in the most efficient manner. Mostmanufacturers offer discounts when ordering in bulk, therefore thissystem will help the dentist to reduce his or her overall cost per burwhile allowing the dentist to store the burs in an easily accessiblesystem.

[0036] The assistant will then fill the master container base 56 withthe new burs from the bulk ordering. The dentist will have one mastercontainer 56 in each operatory from which the burs of carrier 12 foreach procedure (FIG. 4) in that room will be restocked. The dentist orassistant will then set up each carrier 12 with the necessary burs asdelineated by each template 38 and the matching restocking template 56.Upon set-up completion the assistant will fill the master carrier againso as to completely stock each room.

[0037] During the course of dental procedures, the dentist will chosethe used bur from socket 46 with the sterile college pliers 25 and willuse it until he or she deems that the bur is too dull to continue. Thedentist will then discard the used bur and will select the matching newbur from socket 48. After the completion of the procedure the dentalassistant will access the master carrier for that room, select thecorresponding bur and restock the new bur into socket 48 of the carrier12.

[0038] Periodically, the assistant will take inventory of the burs inthe master carrier and record the exact bur name, number, anddescription as delineated on the master restocking template of the burswhich need to be ordered; thereby easily creating a bur order form. Thisquick access to, retrieval and inventory of the burs in the mastercarrier will allow the dental practice to ensure that it has thenecessary burs to perform the required dental procedures.

[0039] As may be seen in FIG. 6, the re-stocking container 56 makes iteasy to stock and keep track of bur supplies for a particular dentist(and/or room or practice) for such procedures including but not limitedto amalgam, composite procedures, crown or bridge procedures, veneerprocedures, endodontic access procedures and build up procedures.Re-stocking container 56 is also color coded in the same mode as thecarrier 12 used bur container 14 and the college pliers 25, in themanner that is described above. The color coding can alternativelyrepresent different physical locations, such as rooms, within apractice, or groups of dentists, or of rooms, as may be desired withinthe practice. Another important aspect of the invention is theprocedures that enable the dental supplier, dental office ormanufacturer to customize the carriers 12, college pliers 25, there-stocking containers 56 and/or the configuration of the overall systemto the preferences of individual dentists as described above. Manydental offices are equipped with personal computers, and some utilizetechnology that permits tooth imaging data, patient records and the liketo be stored and viewed with the aid of those computers. Other dentaloffices, however, are not so equipped, and still rely on manual storageand retrieval for X-rays, patient records, and other data. Thereforethis invention will allow the dentist to customize their system based ontheir needs and access to the necessary technology. For example thehigh-tech offices may want to customize their system in their officewhile others may want to allow the manufacturer to send them thecompleted system.

[0040] Referring now to FIGS. 7(a), 7(b) and 7(c), work sheets aredepicted that will permit a dentist or other dental professional torecord his or her preferences as to the number and identity of dentalburs that are preferred for a particular procedure. For example, FIG.7(a) is a worksheet that permits a dentist or other dental professionalto specify the selection of and order of use of burs that are preferredfor an amalgam procedure, while FIGS. 7(b) and 7(c) depict worksheetsfor composite procedures and crown and bridge procedures, respectively.These worksheets are provided as examples only, and other worksheets areexpected to be provided for the other procedures that are listed above.The worksheets may be provided as printed forms for dental offices thatdo not utilize computer technology, and the completed forms may bemailed or transmitted via facsimile to a manufacturer or dentalsupplier, which in turn will customize a carrier or set of carriers anda re-stocking container for the preferences of that individual dentist.

[0041] Alternatively, a worksheet may be inserted into a carrier 12 as asubstitute from the template 38 described above, and likewise into thecorresponding indicia 32 of the used bur container 14 and the indicia 27of the corresponding college pliers 25 as templates as described abovewith reference to FIG. 2 so as to enable the dental office to customizea carrier itself for an individual dental professional. This option mayalso be used as a temporary measure while a permanent carrier 12 isbeing manufactured to order.

[0042] For the growing number of offices that utilize computers, andparticularly that are equipped with electronic modems, software may beprovided that will permit a dentist or other dental professional to fillout these worksheets electronically, with the resulting informationbeing transmitted to the dental supplier or manufacturer via the modem.As another alternative, the dental supplier or manufacturer may providean Internet site that includes similar worksheets for a dentist or otherdental professional to fill out.

[0043]FIG. 8 depicts a bur management system 58 that is constructedaccording to a second embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, acarrier 12, which except as described herein is identical to thatdescribed in the previous embodiment, is provided with a sensor 60 thatis capable of detecting whether one end of a dental bur is presentwithin a particular socket. Preferably, such sensors 60 are provided inevery socket that is defined in the carrier 12. Sensors 60 arepreferably inductive in nature, so as to require little or no externalpower to be able to perform the sensing function. In addition, each cellin the carrier 12 is preferably provided with an electronic display 62,which may be a conventional liquid crystal display or light emittingdiode display that will be capable of giving a numerical readout, and issimilar in its function to the indicator 50 that is described above withreference to FIG. 3. Each cell in the carrier 12 is further providedwith a reset button 64, the purposes of which will be described below.

[0044] As may be seen in FIG. 8, the carrier 12 is connectable to theused bur container 14 by a releasable connector 16 that includes atongue 68 on the used bur container 14 and a mating groove 66 that isdefined in the carrier 12. An electronic sensor 69, which is preferablyconstructed as a simple switch that is closed when contact is madebetween the tongue 68 and the groove 66, is provided for indicating whenthe carrier 12 is coupled to the used bur container 14. In addition, anelectronically resettable thermally actuated switch 70 is providedwithin the used bur container 14, the function of which will bedescribed below.

[0045] As is shown schematically in FIG. 8, a CPU 72 is included in thebur management system 58 which is configured to receive information fromthe inductive sensors 60, the reset buttons 64, the sensor 69 fordetermining when the carrier 12 is coupled to the container 14, and forreceiving information from the thermal switch 70. Moreover, the CPU 72is configured to provide information to the electronic displays 62 andto reset the thermal switch 70, for the purposes that will be describedbelow. CPU 72 is also preferably connected in two-way communication witha personal computer 74, which in turn is capable of electroniccommunication, such as by a dedicated connection or a modem connectionvia direct dial up access or internet access to a dental supplier ormanufacturer 76. Alternatively, the CPU could be eliminated, and itsfunctions could be assimilated into the processor of the personalcomputer 74. Structurally, the CPU 72 could be within a stand-aloneunit, or it could be integrated into the carrier 12.

[0046] In the preferred mode of operation, the CPU will record thenumber of uses for a particular dental bur that is stored in each cellof the carrier 12. When a new dental bur is removed from the socket 48that is provided for unused burs with a cell, this is sensed by thesensor 60 that is provided in that socket 48, and this information istransmitted to the CPU 72, which will clear the register and indicate onthe electronic display a 62 that this particular bur that is in use hasno previous use cycles. After use, the dentist or other dentalprofessionals will place the used bur, as well as other used burs fromthe procedure that has been performed, within the used bur container 14.At the conclusion of the procedure, or at the end of the day, whicheveris more convenient, the used bur container 14 will be separated from thecarrier 12, and this event will be recorded by the CPU 72 by informationreceived from the sensor 69. The lid of the used bur container 14 isthen closed, thereby initiating the hands-free sterilization process,and is taken to the autoclave so that the used burs stored therein aresterilized. The autoclave procedure will close the thermally actuatedswitch 70 provided that the correct sterilization environment has beenachieved. After autoclaving, the used bur container 14 will be theattached to the carrier 12. It is essential that the used bur container14 is paired and mated with the same carrier 12 that it was originallyattached to. This is accomplished by matching the indicia 30, 32 that isprovided on the carrier 12 and the used bur container 14. It is expectedthat an individual dentist will have more than one carrier 12 for eachprocedure, as he or she will be expected to perform several proceduresof a certain type, e.g. amalgams, in a given day. In order to accuratelytrack bur usage, it is important that a used bur container from oneamalgam procedure, for example, not be mated to a amalgam carrier thatwas not used in that same procedure. To prevent such mismatching, thedifferent amalgam carriers for a particular dentist (and theircorresponding used bur containers) are preferably numbered. For example,the indicia 30, 32 on the carrier 12 and container 14 shown in FIG. 1 isstyled as a red flag including the numeral “1,” and the carrier 12 andthe container 14 themselves are color coded gray. The gray color codingindicates that the carrier 12 and container 14 are set up for an amalgamprocedure, as described above. The red flag symbolizes a particulardentist (if the dentist practices in an assigned room, the room may alsobe designated with that color coding), while the numeral “1” indicatesthat this is the first amalgam set for that particular dentist in thatparticular room.

[0047] Alternatively, the carrier 12 and the container 14 could beelectronically paired so that they recognize each other and will notoperate with any other unit, and so that a warning is given when acoupling to an inappropriate unit is attempted.

[0048] When the carrier 12 and the used bur container 14 are attached,this information is transmitted to the CPU 72 by the sensor 69, and thethermal switch 70 will indicate to the CPU 72 that the used burs have infact undergone autoclaving. At this point, the dental assistant ortechnician will open the lid of the container 14 and remove thesterilized used burs one by one with the concomitantly sterilized andmatching college pliers. Each bur is compared to the template 38 that isillustrated in FIG. 2, and is then placed in the appropriate used bursocket 46 in the correct cell 44 of the carrier 12. As it is placed in asocket, this information will be transmitted to the CPU 72 by thecorresponding sensor 60. The CPU 72 will then cause the electronicdisplay 62 to increment by one use, thus providing an accurateindication to the dental professional as to the degree of use of thatparticular used bur. At about this point in time, the CPU 72 will thenelectronically reset the thermally actuated switch 70.

[0049] At any point during a procedure, the dentist may manually adjustthe system through use of the reset button 64. The reset button has dualfunctionality: push once to add one use to the corresponding burallowing the dentist to customize the indicated number of uses or pushand hold for three seconds to reset the indicated number of uses tozero.

[0050] Accordingly, the invention provides a system and process formanaging dental burs that permits more efficient use of staff time in adental practice, and that makes it possible to keep track of the amountof use to which individual burs have been subjected.

[0051] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages of the present invention have been setforth in the foregoing description, together with details of thestructure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrativeonly, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape,size, color-coding scheme and arrangement of parts within the principlesof the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad generalmeaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of managing dental burs, comprisingsteps of: (a) using a dental bur; (b) storing the used dental bur; and(c) providing an indication to a dental professional that is specific tothe stored used dental bur that is indicative of the extent to which thestored dental bur has been used.
 2. A method according to claim 1,further comprising a step of sterilizing the dental bur prior to step(c).
 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (b) comprisesplacing the used dental bur in a storage carrier that is configured tostore all burs that may be necessary for a particular procedure.
 4. Amethod according to claim 3, wherein the storage carrier is furtherconfigured to store a collection of dental burs that is in conformancewith the preferences of an individual dentist.
 5. A method according toclaim 1, wherein step (b) comprises placing the used dental bur in astorage carrier that is configured to store a collection of dental bursthat is in conformance with the preferences of an individual dentist. 6.A method according to claim 1, wherein step (c) is performed byproviding a visual indication of the number of times that the storedused dental bur has been used.
 7. A method according to claim 6, furthercomprising a step of manually setting the visual indication at somepoint after step (a).
 8. A method according to claim 1, furthercomprising a step of storing a new dental bur that is of the same typeas the stored used dental bur in a common storage carrier as the useddental bur.
 9. A method of managing dental burs, comprising steps of:(a) providing a dental bur carrier that has been configured according tothe preferences of a particular dental professional; (b) removing adental bur from the dental bur carrier; (c) using the dental bur; (d)returning the used bur to the carrier; and (e) providing an indicationon the carrier that is specific to the used dental bur that isindicative of the extent to which the used dental bur has been used. 10.A method according to claim 9, further comprising a step, performedafter step (c), of sterilizing the used dental bur.
 11. A methodaccording to claim 10, wherein said step of sterilizing comprises stepsof placing the used dental bur into an autoclavable container that isidentifiable as being specific to the carrier.
 12. A method according toclaim 11, wherein the autoclavable container is constructed and arrangedto be releasably secured to the carrier, and wherein the step ofsterilizing further comprises detaching the autoclavable container fromthe carrier.
 13. A method according to claim 11, wherein theautoclavable container is constructed and arranged to allow forhands-free sterilization processing of contaminated dental burs aftercompletion of the dental procedure.
 14. A method according to claim 9,wherein the carrier has identification means thereon for permittingrecognition of a specific bur, and wherein step (d) comprises using theidentification means to identify the bur and placing the bur in apredetermined location in the carrier.
 15. A method according to claim9, wherein step (a) comprises steps of collecting information on thepreferences of a particular dental professional, and customizing thecarrier for those preferences.
 16. A method according to claim 15,wherein said step of collecting information comprises transmitting thepreferences electronically.
 17. A method of customizing a set of dentalburs in accommodation with the preferences of an individual dentalprofessional, comprising steps of: (a) recording information on thedental professional's preferences for a particular procedure; (b)sending the information to a configuring facility; and (c) configuring adental bur carrier that is in conformance with the recorded preferences.18. A method according to claim 17, wherein step (a) is performed byrecording the preferences on a printed form.
 19. A method according toclaim 17, wherein step (a) is performed by recording the preferenceselectronically.
 20. A method according to claim 19, wherein step (a) isfurther performed by recording the preferences via a modem connection.21. A method according to claim 19, wherein step (b) is performed bytransmitting the preferences via a modem connection.
 22. A methodaccording to claim 17, wherein step (c) is performed at a manufacturingfacility.
 23. A method according to claim 17, wherein step (c) isperformed at a dental practice.
 24. A system for storing a plurality ofdental burs, comprising: a carrier having a plurality of sockets definedtherein, each of said sockets being constructed and arranged to receiveone end of a dental bur; and indicator means for providing an indicationto a dental professional that is specific to the extent to which atleast one dental bur that is positioned in at least one of said socketshas been used.
 25. A system according to claim 24, wherein saidindicator means comprises a plurality of indicators, each of saidindicators being specific to one stored dental bur.
 26. A systemaccording to claim 24, wherein said indicator means comprises means forvisually indicating the number of times a particular dental bur has beenused.
 27. A system according to claim 26, wherein said indicator meanscomprises a manually adjustable numeric readout.
 28. A system accordingto claim 26, wherein said indicator means comprises an electronicnumeric readout and means for automatically adjusting the readout aftera bur has been removed and replaced.
 29. A system according to claim 24,wherein said carrier has a first plurality of sockets that aredesignated for receiving used dental burs, and a second plurality ofsockets for receiving new dental burs, whereby a new dental bur will beavailable if it is deemed advisable to use a new bur in favor of a usedbur.
 30. A system according to claim 24, further comprising templatemeans on said carrier to aid in the proper identification of individualburs and proper placement of the burs in the respective sockets.
 31. Asystem according to claim 30, wherein said template means is customizedto be in accommodation to the preferences of a specific dentalprofessional.
 32. A system according to claim 24, further comprising anautoclavable used bur container for receiving used burs duringsterilization, said used bur container being identifiable ascorresponding to a specific carrier.
 33. A system according to claim 24,further comprising an autoclavable college plier that is configured topermit sterile removal of burs from the carrier without contaminatingburs that are not used during a specific procedure, said burs havingindicia provided thereon that is indicative as being identifiable to aspecific carrier.
 34. A system according to claim 32, further comprisingmeans for releasably attaching said used bur container to said carrier.35. A system for managing disposable dental burs in accommodation to thepreferences of individual dental professional(s), comprising: a carrierhaving a plurality of sockets defined therein, each of said socketsbeing constructed and arranged to receive one end of a dental bur;template means on said carrier to aid in the proper identification ofindividual burs and proper placement of the burs in the respectivesockets; and indicia on said carrier that is indicative of specificdental professional(s) and procedure(s) for which the system isconfigured.
 36. A system according to claim 35, wherein said indiciacomprises a color-coding.
 37. A system according to claim 35, whereinsaid indicia comprises a number coding.
 38. A system according to claim35, further comprising an autoclavable used bur container for receivingused burs during sterilization, said used bur container beingidentifiable as corresponding to a specific carrier.
 39. A systemaccording to claim 36, further comprising means for releasably attachingsaid used bur container to said carrier.
 40. A system according to claim38, wherein said used bur container has indicia thereon that identifiessaid used bur container as corresponding to a specific carrier.
 41. Asystem according to claim 35, wherein said template means is removablymountable to said carrier.